Mooring device

ABSTRACT

A mooring device including an elongated pole member, an arm member having an attached end pivotally connected to the pole member near one end thereof and a free end spaced from the attached end wherein the arm member is movable between a stowed position adjacent and generally parallel to the pole member and an extended position wherein the free end is disposed laterally from the pole member, and rope supporting brackets on the arm member and the pole member for temporarily supporting a rope.

United States Patent 11 1 Wallace 1 Nov. 11, 1975 1 1 MOORING DEVICE176] Inventor: Goerge T. Wallace, 4305 W.

Thirteen Mile Road, Royal Oak, Mich 48072 [22 Filed: Oct. 21, 1974 152]U.S. Cl. 114/230; 114/221 R; 294/19 R 151] lnt. C1. B63B 21/54 [5111Field Of Search 114/230, 221 R; 119/151, 119/153; 294/19 R, 104

[56] References Cited 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,759,054 5/1930 Laub119/153 2319.992 5/1943 Hubbard 294/19 R 2.811.127 10/1957 Palsson 114/230 X 3.677.597 7/1972 Stipek 1 1. 114/230 X 1774.953 1 1/1973Baheock r 114/230 X 1841,6115 10/1974 Kolodziej 1 14/230 X FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 250367 4/1926 United Kingdom .1 114/230Plillltll) [:Irunlirzer-Trygve M. Blix Assistant [ixun1im'rSherman DBasinger Allornev. Agent, 0:- FirmMcGlynn and Milton [57] ABSTRACT Amooring device including an elongated pole memher. an arm member havingan attached end pivotally connected to the pole member near one endthereof and a free end spaced from the attached end wherein the armmember is movable between a stowed position adjacent and generallyparallel to the pole memher and an extended position wherein the freeend is disposed laterally from the pole member, and rope supportingbrackets on the arm member and the pole member for temporarilysupporting a rope.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 MOORING DEVICE Thisinvention relates to a mooringdevice for aiding boatmen in securing aline from their boat to a piling, mooring cleat, or the like.

Devices of the general type referred to are particularly helpful toboatmen since it is oftentimes difficult to position the mooring linesof a boat around pilings,

cleats, or other suitable mooring objects. This is partic- I ularly soin rough seas where the ability of even the most accurate boatman istaxed.

The most common method of accomplishing the task of mooring a vessel isby throwing the looped end of the mooring line toward the intendedmooring object. This method, more often than not, ends in failure sincethe target is missed thus requiring the boatman to make one or moreadditional throwing attempts. Under some circumstances, such as, whenseas are rough, it is necessary to effect securement of the vessel asquickly as possible to prevent damage from striking against the dock orother objects. It is desirable, therefore, to have a more dependablemethod of getting the mooring line about a moving object.

Accordingly, a number of pole-like devices have been suggested whichpermit the boatman to reach out with the mooring line toward theintended mooring object. A device of this general type is shown in theUS.

Patent to Palsson 2,81 1,127 issued October 29, 1957. Devices of thissort greatly increase the ability of the boatman to quickly andpositively secure his vessel.

Although the desirability of carrying a mooring device of the typesuggested on board the vessel is generally conceded, it maybeimpractical to do so. As is well known, due to limited storage space onboard, it is ofend of a mooring rope in a generally horizontal and opencondition ,to enable positive and accurate .positioning of the loopedend over a piling, mooring cleat, or the like. Moreover, the mooringdevice is capable of collapsing into a substantially straight orcontinuous member which may be easily stored in an out-of-the waylocation. In accordance with the foregoing, the instant inventionprovides a mooring device which in- .cludes an elongated pole member andan arm member having an attached end pivotally connected to the polemember near one end thereof and a free end spaced from the attached endwherein the arm member is movable between a stowed position adjacent andgenerally parallel to the pole member and an extended position whereinthe free end is disposed laterally from the pole member. The mooringdevice also includes rope supporting means on the arm member and thepole member for temporarily supporting a rope.

Other advantages of the present invention will be readly appreciated asthe same becomes better understood by reference to the followingdetailed description when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is plan view of a mooring device constructed FIG. 4 is atransverse cross-sectional view taken generally along line 44 of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, a mooring device constructed in accordancewith the instant invention is generally shown at 10.

The mooring device 10 includes an elongated pole member 12. In order toaccomplish the intended function of the instant invention, the elongatedpole member 12 is provided with an arm member 28 which, as will behereinafter described, coacts with the pole member to hold the loop of amooring line in an open condition. The arm member 28 includes anattached end 30 which is pivotally connected to the pole member 12 nearthe-outer or functional end thereof and a free end 31 which is spacedfrom the attached end 30. The pivotal connection between the arm member28 and the pole member 12 may be accomplished in any suitable manner.Preferably, a pivot pin 32 is provided which extends through the armmember 28 and the pole member 12. As shown in FIG. 4, the pivot pin 32includes a head 34 at one end and a threaded portion 36 at the other endfor receiving a threaded fastener 38. The pivot pin 32 is insertedthrough aligned holes in the arm member 28 and pole member 12 toestablish the pivotal connection.

Since the arm member 28 is pivotally connected to the pole member 12, itmay be moved between an extended position, as shown in FIG. 2, and aretracted or stowed position, as shown in FIG. 1. In the stowedposition, the arm member is in close proximity to the pole member 12 sothat the mooring device 10 is substantially straight or continuous. Inother words, there are no major protrusions which tend to make storagedifficult. Moreover, it is pointed out that when the arm member 28 is inthe stowed position, the mooring device 10 may be used as a boat hook orthe like.

When it is desirable to employ the mooring device 10 for its intendedpurpose, the free end 31 of the arm member 28 is swung away from thepole member 12 by pivoting the arm member 28 from the stowed positiontoward the extended position as will be more clearly describedhereinafter.

In order to increase the compactness of the mooring device 10 in thestowed condition, the arm member 28 is formed so that it has a U-shapedconfiguration when viewed in transverse cross-section. That is, the armmember 28 includes an upper wall 42, a lower wall 44, and a connectingwall 46. Thus, an elongated cavity or recess is formed in the arm member28. The open side of the elongated cavity or recess faces the polemember 12 such that a portion of the pole member 12 is received innesting relation with the arm member 28 when in the stowed position asbest shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

The mooring device 10 further includes rope sup porting means 48 on thearm member 28 and the pole member 12 for temporarily supporting a rope50. The rope supporting means 48 comprise a plurality of U- shapedbrackets which are secured to the respective members by suitablefasteners 52 or,,in the case of the rope supporting means 48 at theattached end 30 of the 3 arm member 28, The pivot pin 32 is employed tosecure the U-shaped bracket in place. Preferably, three U-shaped ropesupporting means 48 are employed. One of the U-shaped brackets 48 ismounted adjacent the end of the pole member 12, another U-shaped bracket48 is mounted adjacent the free end 31 of the ber 28 is in the stowedposition. The boat hook 14 includes a hooked portion 16 for hooking andmanipulating a line or other objects and also includes a straightportion 18 for engaging a dock or vessel. A handle portion 20 isprovided at the opposite end of the pole member 12 from boat hook 14.The handle portion 20 of course is designed to be gripped by the boatmanwhen using the mooring device 10.

The pole member 12 may be of one length, or may be capable of extensionto provide a number of lengths. As shown in FIG. I, a plurality oftelescopically related sections 22 and 24 are provided for increasingthe length of the pole member 12. The telescopic portions 22 and 24include locking devices 26 of any suitable design for locking thetelescopic portions between the retracted or extended positions. As analternate method of extending the length of the pole member 12, separatepole member extension sections (not shown) may be provided. In otherwords, the pole member 12 may be provided with one or more detachableextension members which may be attached to the end of the pole member 12when desired.

Normally, the arm member 28 is disposed in a stowed position adjacentand generally parallel to the pole member 12, as shown in FIG. 1. Whenit is desirable to secure the boat to a stationary object, such as thepiling 54 shown in FIG. 2, the arm member 28 is pivoted to an extendedposition wherein the free end 31 is disposed laterally from the polemember 12 as shown in FIG. 2. In other words, in the extended position,the arm member 28 and the pole member 12 cooperate to form a forked orY-shaped bifurcated end. The looped end of a rope 50 is then placed inthe U-shaped brackets 48 of the rope supporting means so that the loopedend is. in a relatively horizontal and open condition. The boatman maythen reach out with the mooring device and position the loop over thepiling 54. A quick downward movement of the mooring device 10 disengagesthe loop of the rope 50 from the U-shaped brackets 48 and permits thelooped end to settle over the piling 54. It is particularly noted that,since the forked or bifurcated end of the mooring device 10 is open, theloop may be moved down around the piling 54 and the mooring device maybe subsequently disengaged and drawn away from the piling 54. In otherwords, the piling or cleat may be centered between the arm member 28 andthe cooperating portion of the pole member 12 to insure anchoring of therope. Once the rope is disengaged from the brackets 48 the mooringdevice may be drawn away as the piling or cleat moves out through theopen end of the bifurcation.

When use of the mooring device 10 is finished, the arm member 28 ismoved back to the stowed position by pivoting the arm 28 about the pivotpin 32 and the adjacent portion of the pole member 12 is received in theelongated channel of the arm member 28. The mooring device may now beeasily and conveniently stored. That is, since the mooring device isgenerally straight or continuous when collapsed, a relatively narrowspace may be used for storing it.

Another feature of the instant invention is that the head 56 of thefastener 52, which secures the U-shaped bracket 48 to the free end 31 ofthe arm member 28, aids in maintaining the arm member 28 in the stowedposition. Specifically, the head 56 engages the outer surface of thepole member 12 causing the upper wall 42 of the arm member 28 to flexslightly outwardly. Due to the resilient nature of the arm member 28 thehead 56 forcefully engages the pole member. In this manner, a releasableconnection is established between the arm member 28'and the pole member12. The releasable connection avoids inadvertent swinging of the armmember 28 toward the extended position.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is tobe understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to bein the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. A mooring device comprising: a straight, elongated pole member havinga handle end and a free end, an arm member having an attached endpivotally connected to said pole member near said free end thereof and asecond end spaced from said attached end wherein said arm member ismovable between a stowed position adjacent and generally parallel tosaid pole member and an extended position wherein said second end isdisposed laterally from said pole member and forms therewith an openbifurcation with said free end of said pole member, and rope supportingmeans on said am member and said pole member for temporarily supportinga rope; said rope supporting means on said pole member and said armmember all lying along a straight line which generally parallels saidpole member when said arm member is in the stowed position.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said arm member includes anelongated cavity for receiving a portion of said pole member in nestingrelationship therewith when said arm member is in the stowed position.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rope supporting meansincludes a plurality of U-shaped brackets.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said U- shaped brackets aremounted adjacent the end of said pole member, adjacent said free end ofsaid arm member, and adjacent said attached end of said arm member.

5. A device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said arm member includes anelongated cavity for receiving a portion of said pole member in nestingrelationship therewith when said arm member is in the stowed position.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5 including a hook member afixed tothe free end of said pole member.

7. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said pole 8. A device as setforth in claim 7 wherein said extenmember includes extension means forextending the tion means includes a plurality of telescopically relatedlength thereof. pole segments.

1. A mooring device comprising: a straight, elongated pole member havinga handle end and a free end, an arm member having an attached endpivotally connected to said pole member near said free end thereof and asecond end spaced from said attached end wherein said arm member ismovable between a stowed position adjacent and generally parallel tosaid pole member and an extended position wherein said second end isdisposed laterally from said pole member and forms therewith an openbifurcation with said free end of said pole member, and rope supportingmeans on said arm member and said pole member for temporarily supportinga rope; said rope supporting means on said pole member and said armmember all lying along a straight line which generally parallels saidpole member when said arm member is in the stowed position.
 2. A deviceas set forth in claim 1 wherein said arm member includes an elongatedcavity for receiving a portion of said pole member in nestingrelationship therewith when said arm member is in the stowed position.3. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rope supporting meansincludes a plurality of U-shaped brackets.
 4. A device as set forth inclaim 3 wherein said U-shaped brackets are mounted adjacent the end ofsaid pole member, adjacent said free end of said arm member, andadjacent said attached end of said arm member.
 5. A device as set forthin claim 3 wherein said arm member includes an elongated cavity forreceiving a portion of said pole member in nesting relationshiptherewith when said arm member is in the stowed position.
 6. A device asset forth in claim 5 including a hook member afixed to the free end ofsaid pole member.
 7. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said polemember includes extension means for extending the length thereof.
 8. Adevice as set forth in claim 7 wherein said extention means includes aplurality of telescopically related pole segments.